ECT.coop - The U.S. Department of Agriculture will close a research lab that tests wind turbines and solar panels sometime next summer. The Conservation and Production Laboratory in Bushland, Texas, is the only place in the nation where the USDA conducts wind and solar research. The lab began work in 1976, and experts credit it with helping Texas achieve dominance in wind power. Research will continue at the lab, but with a more agricultural focus, and wind testing will move to a research center at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Dallas Morning News - Electronic signs flash warnings to drivers heading to downtown Dallas, cautioning them about the extreme drought conditions and urging water conservation. In big metropolitan areas like Dallas-Fort Worth, conserving water is the most important thing residents can do to combat dry conditions.